NEARfest day two: a review in brief...

If waking up Saturday was rough, you don’t want to know how waking up Sunday was. Still, I made the decision this time to have a couple glasses of water first thing, and we stopped off at the Dunkin Donuts before heading down to the venue. That water, and the bottle of OJ, really made the difference, and I had no problems at all Sunday. The place was pretty empty, and the vending rooms were slow. We were excited to see the first two bands, and thus we made sure to get up to the theatre in time for the Sunday opener…

QUANTUM FANTAY, from Belgium. So much energy. So much personality. So much more space rock. These guys got a huge response from the sleepy NF crowd…so much so that they sold out of CDs and other merch. They bounded around the stage, wailed on guitar and bass, thrashed the drums, and coaxed swirly synth sounds from their instruments. I wish I had picked up their CD/DVD set, but there’s always mail order. Sunday opener slots have seen some of the most exciting surprising sets at NF…Hidria Spacefolk, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, Guapo, and now these guys. Big things lie ahead for them I think.

BEARDFISH followed. I was really looking forward to them, and so was Sharon. Neither of us were disappointed. I love their vintage sound, with loads of great keyboard textures, excellent guitar, and above all, killer songwriting. They didn’t worry about the crowd, playing the ‘controversial’ “Roulette” and “The Gooberville Ballroom Dancer” as early as possible. Nothing like a healthy dose of bikers named Jesus and motherf*^&ers, eh? They played some stuff off the forthcoming album, whose release I now worry about with things getting as dicey as they are (SPV bankrupt, Beardfish and PoS pulled off the Prog Nation tour). I am glad I got to see them, and I hope to whoever is listening that they can be brought back over soon.

Lunch was bison burgers from the vendors outside. They were good. I was tired. The sun was out. We’d been hanging out with Ray and Tom from echolyn a bit, as one does at these festivals. We’d also been hanging out with the guys from Quantum Fantay a bit, and Rikard and the others from Beardfish, who as I said above were awesome. Time was growing short, so we headed in for the third band on day two…

TRETTIOARIGA KRIGET from Sweden. They’re a classic band…for a while, one of the few 1970’s Swedish bands you could find releases from. At their heaviest they are what Rush would sound like if they were a prog band. And yes, they played a healthy dose of the heavier stuff…and a lot of their quieter, more restrained pieces. I like them, and I liked their performance. I think they were the wrong band at the wrong time, really…they were too relaxed for a set late in the afternoon on the second day of the festival. I think DFA’s energy would have worked better here. And I know that people had a major issue with the falsetto vocals. Still, I liked them, and they deserved to be here.

Dinner break arrived, and I packed enough away to make sure I’d get through the final band. I had high hopes yet again, and I had a feeling they’d be met.

PREMIATA FORNERIA MARCONI did more than meet them. They exceeded them a thousand times over. One always worries when a classic band says they are gonna play a lot of newer material. Well, the songs from Stati di Imaginazione more than belonged in the set…they were every bit as vital as the classic material. And what a selection of classic material…’Dove…Quando,” “Impressioni di Settembre," “Out at the Roundabout.” I was waiting for “E’Festa,” and I was blown away…it take s a lot to get 1000 people at NEARfest out of their chairs, yet PFM achieved this. They got audience participation. I saw 1000 people dancing and jumping. I felt the walls shake. I heard them screaming on request. It was thrilling, and one of the best performances I have ever seen at NEARfest.

But this year’s NEARfest was about far more than the music. It was about meeting up with people I see once a year. It was about repaying the people who so graciously and generously allowed us into the inside, letting us become part of this breathing, living entity. It was about seeing the festival in a whole new light. If NEARfest 2009 was anything, it was a rebirth in so many different ways. I came out better than I went in. In the end, NEARfest 2009 will perhaps be the most memorable one for me.

NEARfest day one: a review in brief...

(A pre-side note: the setlists provided as directly from festival co-founded Chad Hutchinson, who got them from the stage setlists the bands wrote up. as corrections come, I will make them here.)

NEARfest day one started with a bit of a rough wake up…Friday night had been a touch fraught, and I know we had some slight issues dragging ourselves out of bed. A shower helped…but not long after getting to Lehigh on Saturday morning, I started feeling decidedly unwell. I dehydrated very, very quickly (air con over night and a lot of humidity contributing to a heat index higher than the actual temp may have contributed), and I had to get some water and stuff pumped into me. I joked that they had bottles of water and were jamming the tops into my mouth and squeezing the water down my throat. In any event, I was feeling well enough at that point to hit the theatre for…

CABEZAS DE CERA (Heads of Wax) from Mexico. What an interesting set of music from these guys. Unique custom made instruments, heavy folk and electronic influences, their sound would range from the precious and acoustic to wild waves of sound. I can’t describe them all that well…they are labeled as avant and RiO, and some people called them space rock for some reason, but for me, they were just CdC…and I dug them enough to pick up a pair of discs to relive the experience. Good stuff.

Indomable
Peregrino
Laberinto
Pretexto
Mutacion
Nocturno Incandescente
Cazador de Ballenas
Parkour

Encore:
Gocxilla
Mil Noches

I think at this point I had one or two bottles of OJ, and headed back to the vending room to sell an ever depleting pile of shirts and programs and pint glasses. Wanted a tan shirt? Sorry, you’re out of luck, we’re out. 3X shirt? Sold out yesterday, so sorry. We had our full crew behind the table, and at our best, we were a well-oiled machine working around each other quite well.

Vendor rooms close, and we head up for OBLIVION SUN from here in the US. 2 Happy the Man members (Happy the Men?), a member of Present, Adrian Belew’s drummer, and a second keyboardsist, playing fun, fusiony symphonic music that included some classic HtM tracks, some excellent new stuff with quirky as ever titles (“Dead Sea Squirrels,” or ‘nature’s road bumps’ as claimed by Stanley Whitaker), and enough chops for a clinic. Stan looked and played great…we (Stan and I) had a chance to chat a bit before the set and it was wonderful to share some stuff that we had in common. That rocked, and was probably my emotional highlight of the festival.

Fanfare
Chapter 7.1
Noodlepoint
Catwalk
No Surprises
Lake of Shadows (new Bill Plummer piece)
The Ride
Golden Feast
Re:Bootsy
Dead Sea Squirrels (new Stan piece)
Tales of Young Whales
The High Places (new Frank Wyatt piece)

Encore:
Service with a Smile
March of the Mushroommen (new Stan piece)

It was lunch time, and we hit the catering room for sandwiches and drinks. They hit the spot. Not much more to say there, really. We got all re-energised for the next act, which was…

DFA from Italy. I was looking forward to these guys, and they did not disappoint. Great instrumental symphonic rock from Italy with just a touch of fusion goodness. I finally splurged and got the other two albums I needed to complete my collection, so I can identify the tracks I didn’t already know, but they were stellar live. Really got into them, and was glad to see them finally (NB: I am listening to Kaleidoscope, their 2 CD reissue of the first two albums, as I post this here...it is every bit as good as the show was, and then some).

Vietato Generalizzare
Flying Trip
Trip on Metro
Mosoq Runa
Caleidoscopio
Mirror
Pantera
Escher

Encore:
Baltasaurus

Dinner was a bit of a debacle, as meal tickets weren’t available, and the on site vendors closed down due to the weather. So we foraged for stuff to get us through the next band. I’d been doing everything possible to downplay them, trying to not build up expectation or anticipation, but soon the denouement would have to be had…the lights dimmed, and onto the stage came GONG.

I’ll say it here, as clear as possible. I loved their set. They played superbly. It was tight, and spacy, and trippy, and I really loved it. Daevid was in fine form despite being sick. Steve Hillage played fantastically. Miquette was fun on keys…playing, dancing, swaying, jumping. Theo Travis was wicked on the sax. The set was killer…I can’t ask for anything better. The new stuff (from the forthcoming 2032 album, the next part of the Planet Gong story) was good. It was just wild all the way around. Made it to the encore and we headed down stairs to catch up with a few people before we headed off into the night to search out french toast before hitting the hay for day two…

Escape, Control
You can't Kill Me
Tic Toc
Dynamite
Digital Girl
Yoni
Dance with Pixies
Wacky Backy
Never Glid
Flute Salad
Oily Way
Outer Temple
Inner Temple
Goddess
Om Liff
Cycle Gliss
You and I

Encore:
Tropical Fish

NEARfest 2009 post 1: purchases

Well, it's time for my annual list of what is driving me into financial insolvency this year...a.k.a. my NF 2009 purchases:

Cabezas De Cera - Hecho en Mexico
Cabezas De Cera - Fractal Sonico 95-05
Trettioariga Kriget - Krigssang
Trettioariga Kriget - War Years 2 CD live set
Beardfish - The Sane Day 2 CD set (reissue)
Beardfish - Fran En Plats Du Ej Kan Se
Quantum Fantay - Agapanthusterra
Therion - The Miskolc Experience boxed set (2 CD/1 DVD)
Deus Ex Machina - Imparis CD/DVD set
IQ - Frequency Special Edition (CD/DVD set)
Gong - Live at the Gong Family Unconventional Gathering DVD
DFA - Kaleidoscope 2 CD set
Marillion - Early Stages 6 CD boxed set
Imagin'aria - La Tempesta
Magma - Studio Zund 12 CD boxed set

I'd say maybe not quantity, but definitely quality, but...there's 3 boxed sets totaling 21 discs in there, 3 2 CD sets, 2 DVD/CD sets...a mess load of stuff to watch and listen to.

NEARfest 2009...

So NEARfest 2009 is a few short weeks away.

After a lengthy period of it looking like I would not be able to attend, I was lucky enough to be deputised to work the festival this year. I'll do anything to get to see some of these bands, so it is an easy trade off.

This post is not about that.

This post is opening the floor to you, readers. I have a limited purchasing budget this year, but I am curious...what do you think I should be looking for that I might not be thinking about? Not that I have any specifics in mind, tho I plan on picking up a nice swath of Trettioariga Kriget releases that I have skipped out on in the past. But what else might I have missed over the past few months/old catalogue releases you think I can't do without?

The floor is open...let's hear some suggestions :-)

NEARfest tickets go on sale tomorrow

Just a reminder to everyone that NEARfest '09 Ticket Sale Day is this *_Saturday, April 4th at 10:00am!_*

*NEARfest '09 Lineup*
Friday: Van der Graaf Generator and the Steve Hillage Band
Saturday: Cabezas de Cera, Oblivion Sun, DFA, and Gong
Sunday: Quantum Fantay, Beardfish, Trettioariga Kriget, and PFM

*NEARfest 3-Day Bundle *
Lift - $200
Orchestra - $190
Grand Tier - $180
Balcony - $170

*NEARfest 2-Day Bundle *
Lift - $140
Orchestra - $135
Grand Tier - $130
Balcony - $125

Note: Any remaining Friday-only tickets will go on sale Saturday, April 11th at 11:00am ET

*Tickets may be purchased using the following methods:*

1. Online from the Zoellner Arts Center Tickets Website at https://ztickets.lehigh.edu/Online/bundles.asp
2. By phone at 610-758-2787 ext. 0 using Visa, MasterCard, or American Express
3. Zoellner Arts Center Box Office, Lehigh University, 420 East Packer Avenue, Bethlehem, PA

Supersister out, Trettioåriga Kriget in at NF 2009

It is with a heavy heart that we inform you of this unfortunate circumstance regarding Supersister. Below is what was passed on to us from the band...

Due to the unexpected illness of Ron van Eck, Supersister regretfully have announced that they will be unable to appear at NEARfest this year. Ron has had to undergo a course of chemotherapy treatment for cancer. His prognosis is optimistic, but the members of the band feel that Ron's presence and well being is vital to any Supersister performance and regretfully have had to make this decision. The band apologize to all of their fans in America who were looking forward to seeing the and perform once more and hope to visit NEARfest as soon as the health of Ron allows it.

They have been replaced by Trettioåriga Kriget.

Trettioåriga Kriget (Thirty Years War) was formed in 1970 in Saltsjöbaden, a seaside resort southeast of Stockholm. In just a few short years, the band developed a sound that set them apart from the mainstream of Swedish rock. Early in 1974, the band struck a record deal with CBS and released their self-titled debut album. This was followed in 1976 with their symphonic masterpiece, "Krissång," a progressive rock tour de force with the entire second side of the LP devoted to the "Krissång 2" suite. Despite gaining international praise from the subsequent tour, CBS dropped the band and they signed with a small Swedish label for the release of "Hej på er" in 1978. The band continued until mid-1980 when they decided to call it a day. However, in 2002 most of the classic lineup reunited to try out new material. "Elden av år" was released in 2004 and immediate burst the band back on to the prog rock radar, even garnering them an invite to ProgDay 2004, where they dazzled the audience at Storybook Farm. Since then, the band has continued to play live and produced excellent albums, including 2007's "I början och slutet."

After the void left in this year's lineup by the unfortunately departure of Supersister, Trettioåriga Kriget has accepted our offer to perform at NEARfest '09. We could not be more excited to welcome them to the NEARfest stage. Please help us welcome Trettioåriga Kriget to the show!

DFA to perform at NEARfest 2009

NEARfest '09 is happy to announce that DFA will be gracing the NEARfest stage in '09. The band has very strong ties to NEARfest, feeling that they were catapulted into the progressive world with their 2000 appearance. When they approached us with their desire to perform in '09, we declined so as not to disrupt FMPM's plans. It was their love for NEARfest that kept the band motivating us towards accepting them for '09.

Formed in Verona during 1991 around Alberto De Grandis, drummer, occasional vocalist and main composer, and bassist Luca Baldassari, D.F.A.was initially an instrumental keyboard-led trio, a formula that evolved over the years, first with the arrival of guitarist Silvio Minella in 1993, and two years later with the introduction of vocal parts in the compositions, following the release of a demo tape entitled Trip On Metro.

Later in 1995, Alberto Bonomi replaced the original keyboard player and D.F.A.found its definitive shape. Bonomi was soon to become an essential creative force in the band alongside De Grandis, co-writing most of the material with him. The new quartet made its
live debut in January 1996, and soon afterwards embarked on the recording of their first proper album, Lavori In Corso ("works in progress").

With their second work, Duty Free Area from 1999, D.F.A.broadened their musical palette with new sounds, especially in the keyboard department, putting their mark on the progressive world. The band's watershed appearance at NEARfest in June 2000 was documented on a best-selling live CD. Meanwhile, D.F.A.started work on their next album, aiming to further establish the unique D.F.A.identity. The resulting album entitled, "4TH", (MoonJune Records, www.moonjune.com) was released to both critical and mass acclaim making many best of 2008 lists. NEARfest '09 is extremely pleased to hand the stage to DFA once again.

DUTCH MASTERS SUPERSISTER TO LIGHT UP NEARFEST `09

NEARfest '09 is pleased to announce that SUPERSISTER has signed on for Sunday evenings #3 slot. The band will be playing their 40th anniversary reunion gig in the United States at NEARfest `09.

While in school in 1968 they formed under the moniker Sweet Ok Sister but soon after changed their name with the departure of their first singer. Once under the name SUPERSISTER the band took a more serious approach to music making and gave us some of the finest progressive music from the era. Whether it was their debut `Present From Nancy' or `To the Highest Bidder', `Pudding En Gisteren' and `Iskander' the band made music that was well respected then and still is to this day. The band walked a line between Canterbury and Psychedelic with some intelligent pop thrown in for good measure. Robert Jan Stips (keys, vocals), Ron van Eck (bass) and Marco Vrolijk (drums), will regroup for NEARfest '09 although it will be minus Sacha van Geest (flute) who unexpectedly passed away in 2001. The band has a new flautist who will step in for the event to make the show complete.

Recently the band had their song "She Was Naked" featured in the 2007 Joy Division biopic `Control'. With this nod the band have recently found themselves in the spotlight once again with a new wave of interest both at home in The Hague and abroad. So get ready to welcome SUPERSISTER as we shine the spotlight on "The love child of Frank Zappa and Caravan" at NEARfest '09!

A couple brief thoughts on the 4 bands currently signed for NEARfest 2009…

PFM: this is the only one of the “Big Three” Italian bands I have yet to see live. Having said this, I have been making myself familiar with their catalogue, and while there’s one or two albums I find myself really enjoying, in general I find them less interesting than Banco or Le Orme. I think Banco has probably had a somewhat more consistent and enjoyable (for me) career and discography, while Le Orme’s high points are nearly sublime in their perfection.

Having said this…Storia di un minuto and Per un amico are incredibly solid albums, filled with highlights, and I really like them.

http://www.pfmpfm.it/


Oblivion Sun: I am not overly familiar with the band as such, but the pedigree…Stan Whitaker and Frank Wyatt from Happy the Man, Chris Mack from Illuvatar…not a bad set of bands to be formed from. Their debut album has gotten rave reviews, and Stan/Frank’s previous project, Pedal Giant Animals, was the basis for this new group. I hope things relating to Stan’s current health issues don’t keep the group from playing, though I’d certainly understand if things need to be rearranged. But I am looking forward to seeing these guys, and picking up both releases, very soon.

http://oblivionsun.com/


Beardfish: I’ve written about these guys in here before, I am pretty sure. Their previous two albums, Sleeping in Traffic Part 1 and Sleeping in Traffic Part 2 are killer slabs of vintage sounding progressive rock, with enough contemporary edge to keep them sounding fresh and vital. Rikard Sjöblom is a modern prog mastermind, and the band members are no slouches when it comes to composing, arranging and performing music filled with dynamics and humour. I am very psyched to see this group live finally…and I wonder if their signing (and the fact that Beardfish now makes up the majority of Andy Tillison’s band The Tangent) means that The Tangent will be signed to NEARfest as well…

http://www.beardfish.argh.se/

Quantum Fantay: Another band I am not overly familiar with, but what I have read suggests Ozrics-style space rock. I loved Hidria Spacefolk (who ply similar musical waters), and felt the Ozrics were tedium incarnate. I have no idea what this group will bring, but I’m willing to give them a listen.

From their NEARfest bio: “Hailing from Belgium, Quantum Fantay begins when two crazy friends, Pieter Van den Broeck (Pete Mush) and Wouter De Geest (Jaro), combine their musical visions and creativity. The result is the music of Quantum Fantay and their brand of liquid space rock. Drawing influences from, without being derivative of, bands such as Ozric Tentacles, Hawkwind and Hidria Spacefolk, Quantum Fantay create soundscapes and rhythms that wholly draw in the listener. Using hypnotic waves, atmospheric soundscapes, psychedelic synths, haunting melodies, woody groovy basslines with energy driven and experimental drums, a Quantum gig is a show to remember. To make the band live breathable and even more interesting the two neighbors attracted drummer Gino Verhaegen, guitar player Dario Frodo and flute-player Karel Slabbaert (Charles Sla). Quantum Fantay, a name that came out of a typing error for the word fantasy, was on it's way.

The year 2005 saw them release the album, "Agapanthustherra" to critical acclaim while 2007 saw the release of "Ugisiunsi," their second studio album recorded at "Pete's Mushroom Land" recording studio. This creation was a step further in terms of production and playing. 2008 has been an exciting year for the band as their first album has been re-released and a new live album titled, "From Herzberg to Living Room," are added to their catalog and recordings for the next studio album are fully on.”

http://www.quantum-fantay.com